Family Engagement Crosswalk

Virtual Lab School Family Engagement Crosswalk
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The VLS Foundational Content was designed to align across tracks which means a significant portion of each track's content is relevant for all direct care professionals. This document identifies unique age-specific content, activities, and resources by lesson and can be used as a guide to review material if a staff member moves to care for a new age-group. For example, direct care professionals who move from an infant and toddler classroom to a preschool classroom should consult the Preschool track to be aware of age-specific material that resides in that track. Use this document as a guide and remember to work with your Training & Curriculum Specialist to help identify content areas in the VLS where you may need extra review and support to be knowledgeable about best practices for all children in your care. We encourage Training & Curriculum Specialists to consult their Service's guidance regarding how to best use the crosswalk.

Lesson 1

Infant Toddler Families: An Introduction 

Preschool Families: An Introduction 

School-Age Families: An Introduction 

See

  • Video: Respecting and Understanding Children’s Families 

Do

  • Bulleted List: Family-Centered Practice Guidelines
  • Video: Family-Centered Practice

Explore

  • Video: Reflecting On My Own Experiences
  • Activity: Things to Consider

Know

  • Section: Honoring Diversity in Families 

See

  • Video: Appreciating Children's Families
  • Video: Embracing Family Diversity in Preschool: Teacher Voices 

Do

  • Bulleted List: Family-Centered Practice Guidelines
  • Video: Including Children's Families

Explore

  • Activity: Things to Consider

Know

  • Section: Honoring Diversity in Families 

See

  • Video: Family-Centered Practice: An Introduction
  • Video: Honoring All Families
  • Video: Celebrating Culture: Unique School-Age Abilities 

Do

  • Bulleted List: Family-Centered Practice Guidelines

Explore

  • Activity: Reflecting on Families

Lesson 2

Infant Toddler The Indoor Environment: Designing and Organizing Infants & Toddlers

Preschool The Indoor Environment: Designing and Organizing Preschool

School-Age The Indoor Environment: Designing and Organizing School Age

Know

  • Section: Importance of Family Engagement
  • Section: Relationships With Families
  • Section: Helping Families Feel Welcome
  • Section: Encouraging Families to Be Involved

See

  • Video: Promoting Family Engagement in Your Program
  • Video: Learning About Families

Do

  • Video: Ways to Welcome and Involve Families
  • Activity: Ways to Support Family Engagement

Apply

  • Activity: Getting to Know and Building Relationships With Families

Know

  • Section: Importance of Family Engagement
  • Section: Including Families in Preschool
  • Section: Helping Families Feel Welcome
  • Section: Encouraging Families to Be Involved

See

  • Video: Encouraging Family Participation in Your Classroom

Do

  • Video: Welcoming Families in Your Classroom and Program
  • Activity: Strategies to Promote Family Involvement in Your Classroom

Apply

  • Activity: Welcoming Families to Your Classroom and Program
  • Activity: Fun Ways to Involve Families in Their Child’s Learning
  • Activity: Acknowledging Families in Your Classroom

Know

  • Section: Importance of Family Engagement
  • Section: Helping Families Feel Welcome
  • Section: Encouraging Families to Be Involved
  • Section: Strategies to Promote Family Involvement

See

  • Video: The Importance of Family Partnerships
  • Video: Parent Advisory Boards
  • Video: Family Involvement

Do

  • Activity: Strategies to Promote Family Involvement in Your Classroom

Apply

  • Activity: Planning Activity

Lesson 3

Infant Toddler Promoting Family Engagement: Communicating With Families

Preschool Promoting Family Engagement: Communicating With Families

School-Age Promoting Family Engagement: Communicating With Families

Know

  • Section: Importance of Communicating With Families
  • Section: Ways of Communicating With Families
  • Section: Having Difficult Conversations With Families
  • Section: Benefits for Infants and Toddlers

See

  • Video: Having Difficult Conversations With Families 

Do

  • Bulleted List: Ways to communicate with families and share information
  • Video: Ways to Communicate With Families
  • Activity: Family Conferences

Explore

  • Activity: Things I Would Like to Know 

Apply

  • Activity: Conversation Starters

Know

  • Section: Importance of Communicating With Families
  • Section: Ways of Communicating With Families
  • Section: Having Difficult Conversations With Families
  • Section: Collecting Family and Child Information
  • Section: Sharing Information With Families

See

  • Video: Helping Families Understand Their Child's Development

Do

  • Bulleted List: Ways to communicate with families and share information

Explore

  • Activity: Thinking About Communication

Apply

  • Video: Family-Teacher Conferences
  • Activity: Jargon Busting
  • Activity: Effective Communication Resources

Know

  • Section: Importance of Communicating With Families
  • Section: Ways of Communicating With Families
  • Section: Informal Communication Methods
  • Section: Formal Communication Methods
  • Section: Finding the “Right” Time to Communicate With Families
  • Section: Creative Communication Methods

See

  • Video: Sharing Program Information
  • Video: Communication of Care
  • Video: Creative Communication

Do

  • Bulleted List: Ways to communicate with families and share information

Explore

  • Activity: Communication Activity

Apply

  • Activity: Creative Communication Methods: Brainstorming

Lesson 4

Infant Toddler Working With Families of Children With Special Needs

Preschool Working With Families of Children With Special Needs

School-Age Working With Families of Children With Special Needs

Consult Entire Lesson

If you are moving to this track and you have already covered this course in another VLS track, you should still consult this lesson in its entirety because it contains significant, unique content specific to infants and toddlers.

Consult Entire Lesson

If you are moving to this track and you have already covered this course in another VLS track, you should still consult this lesson in its entirety because it contains significant, unique content specific to preschool children.

Consult Entire Lesson

If you are moving to this track and you have already covered this course in another VLS track, you should still consult this lesson in its entirety because it contains significant, unique content specific to school-age children.

Lesson 5

Infant Toddler Strengthening and Supporting Military Families and Families Facing Challenges 

Preschool Strengthening and Supporting Military Families and Families Facing Challenges 

School-Age Strengthening and Supporting Military Families and Families Facing Challenges 

Consult Entire Lesson

If you are moving to this track and you have already covered this course in another VLS track, you should still consult this lesson in its entirety because it contains significant, unique content specific to infants and toddlers.

Consult Entire Lesson

If you are moving to this track and you have already covered this course in another VLS track, you should still consult this lesson in its entirety because it contains significant, unique content specific to preschool children. 

Consult Entire Lesson

If you are moving to this track and you have already covered this course in another VLS track, you should still consult this lesson in its entirety because it contains significant, unique content specific to school-age children.